Steve Fulop on Tax Reform

No municipal tax increase for third year in a row

Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, R-Somerville, is taking aim at Mayor Steve Fulop, saying the city's flat tax rate demonstrates the need for school funding reform statewide. At issue is an email Fulop's campaign sent to supporters yesterday about the 2016
city budget, which comes for the third year in a row with no municipal tax increase. Flat taxes are proof the Fulop administration can "make government work well," the Democratic mayor said in the email.

Assemblyman Ciattarelli linked Fulop's crowing
about the city budget to the heavy subsidies Jersey City's public schools receive from state taxpayers. The school district in 2016-17 will receive $420 million in state aid for its $673 million annual budget; Jersey City schools have been under state
control for the last 30 years. "The mayor's boasts, which only add insult to injury to taxpayers across the state, call attention to just how terribly flawed and blatantly unfair the current distribution of state school aid is," Ciattarelli said.

We make government work well with no municipal tax increase

A Republican lawmaker is taking aim at Mayor Steve Fulop, saying the mayor's recent boast about the city's tax rate demonstrates the need for school funding reform statewide. At issue is an email Fulop's campaign sent to supporters yesterday about the
2016 city budget, which comes for the third year in a row with no municipal tax increase. Flat taxes are proof the Fulop administration can "make government work well," the Democratic mayor said in the email.

Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli,
R-Somerville, linked Fulop's crowing about the city budget to the heavy subsidies Jersey City's public schools receive from state taxpayers. The school district in 2016-17 will receive $420 million in state aid for its $673 million annual budget, a
fact that irks Republican and even some suburban Democratic lawmakers statewide.

Gov. Chris Christie (R) and Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D) have both said they want to change the distribution of state aid to schools across New Jersey.